Seam-trimmer and edge-binder for sewing-machines.



W. R. ABERCROMBIB. SEAM TRIMMER AND 'BDGB BINDER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7. 1906.

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PA'I'BNTED APR. 2, 1907.

No. 849,347. PATBNTED APR. 2 1907.

W. R. ABERGROMBIB. SEAM TRIMMER AND EDGE BINDER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7, 1906.

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PATENTED APR. 2,1907,

W. R. ABERGROMBIE. SEAM TRIMMER AND EDGE BINDER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILBD NOV. 7, 1906.

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. dumb! A TTORZVEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. ABERCROMBIE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A SSIGNOR TO WHEELER 8; WILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

SEAlVi-TRIMIVIER AND EDGE-BINDER FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed November 7, 1906. Serial No. 342,360.

T all w/wnt it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. ABER- CROMBIE, a citizen of the United States, and

a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seam-Trimmers and Edge-Binders for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in sewing-machines for simultaneously trimming and binding, wherein the work is trimmed adjacent to the line of seaming, followed by the application of a binding to the trimmed I5 edges of the superposed materials. In machines of this character it has been the common construction to mount the binderhead upon a swinging arm capable of vertical movements at its free end, so that the binderhead could be lifted from its seat in the throat-plate and swung out of operative position or to cutaway the throat-plate to the depth of and directly in line with the binderhead, so as to permit of the binder-head be- 2 5 ing swung in the horizontal plane of its operative position.

It is believed that my present invention embodies the first sewing-machine construction capable of binding and trimming an end- 0 less seam wherein the meeting ends of the binding are overlapped. This result I efl'ect mainly by the employment of a trimming mechanism capable of being adjusted into and out of action during the stitching oper- 5 ation in connection with a binder-head capable of adjustment in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of the "feed of the material toy'aposition convenient for the severing of the binding and for the convenient 4o manipulation of the severed end of said binding to complete the stitching and binding operation.

In my improved construction I mount the binder-head on a slide plate, so as to be capa- 4 5 ble of horizontal adjustment in a line transverse to the line of the seam, and provide a locking device which enables the operator to unlock and to adjust such slide plate to inoperative position by simply pushing against the thumb end of a locking-lever, and when the parts are returned to their operative position the locking device is automatically actuated. Thus the operator is enabled to conveniently manipulate the adjustment of parts and materials for the commencement and completion of the binding operation, and such adjustable control of the binder-head permits the severing oi the binding intermediate of and at a point only slightly distant from the line of the needle actuation and the binder-head.

In sewing-machines employed for simultaneously trimming and binding wherein the binder-head is mounted upon a swinging arm and adj ustable in substantially the direction of the length of the seam it is necessary to swing the binder-head a much greater distance than is required for the supply of binding necessary for the commencement of the succeeding operation, and as the binder-head is returned to its operative position the excess of binding drawn through the binderhead when adjusting to inoperative position inconveniences the operator in the manipulation of the end oi binding severed from the supply to overlap its meeting end. Further, when the binder-head is returned to its operative position, the excess of binding drawn through the binder-head by the previous adjustment must either be severed and go to waste or be drawn back through the binderhead.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a front end elevation of a sewingmachine equipped with my invention; Fig. 2, a rear side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a portion of the base of the sewing-machine, illustrating, in plan view, the slide-plate and parts carried by it adjusted to their operative positions; Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating the slide-plate and parts carried by it adjusted to their inoperative positions; and Fig. 5 a view in perspective of the trimmer throat-plate.

In describing my improvements only such limited reference will be made to the usual well-known parts of the sewing-machine as is deemed necessary for a proper understanding of my invention,

1 is the cloth-plate of the sewing-machine; 2, the overhanging arm; 3, the band-wheel; i, the needle-bar 5, the needle; 6, the presserbar; 7, the cloth-presser; 8, the take-up; 9, the needle-thread tension; 10, the presser-bar lifter 11, the loop-taker 12, 13 the shuttle-bobbin.

14 is the trimmer-blade-carrying bar 15, the trimmer-blade; 16, the trimmer-blade holder; 17, a hand-bracket secured to the trimmer-blade-carrying bar; 18, the trimmer rock shaft; 19, the trimmer rock-shaft lever, and 20 the trimmer rock shaft lever pin, which coacts with a notch 21, formed in the trimmer-blade-carrying bar to move said bar vertically in opposite directions through the action of an eccentric 22 upon the forked ends 24 24 of an actuating-lever 25, which in turn isIsecured to the:trimmerlrock-shaft 18, said eccentric being secured to the needlebar-actuating shaft 23.

26 is a spring, one end of which is seated in a pocket 27, formed in the overhanging arm 2, its opposite end bearing against the under side of a bracket 28, which latter is secured to the trimmer-blade-carrying bar 14, said spring causing the cutter-carrying bar when not operatively connected with the pin 20 to be held elevated sufficiently to carry the notch 21 out of range of the oscillatory movements of the pin 20, as when for any purpose it is desired to discontinue the trimming operation. The withdrawal of the pin 20 from the notch 21 is effected by moving the hand-lever 29 in the direction indicated by the arrow 30, said lever carrying with it the connected rock-shaft 18 and lever 19, thus moving the pin 20 out of engagement with the notch 21. The hand-lever 29 is provided with a bracket 31, through which a screw 32 passes loosely and is threaded into the rock-shaft 18 for operatively connecting said rock-shaft with the lever 29.

33 is a spring seated in a pocket 34, formed on the overhanging arm, the upper end of which acts against the under side of an arm 35, formed integral with the lever 29, the spring 33 acting to hold said lever in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow 3 O. In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the trimmerbladecarrying-bar 14, disconnected from its actuating mechanism, and when it is desired to connect the trimmeractuating mechanism with the trimmerblade-carrying bar the operator, through the hand-bracket 17, moves the trimmer-bladecarrying bar downward until the pin 20 engages the notch 21, thus causing the trimmer-blade-carrying bar, through the connections previously described, to be actuated by the eccentric 22.

36 36 are screws for securing the bobbinstop 37 to the under side of the throat-plate.

The previously-described stitch-forming cloth feeding and trimming mechanisms are the same as are common to the Wheeler & Wilson well-known commercial seam-trimming machine and may be as herein pointed out or of any approved construction, as they form no part of my present invention except the feed-dog, and i that they, together with the binding mechanism, define the necessary combination for seaming, trimming, and binding the edge of materials by a single operation.

38 is a throat plate provided with the ledger trimmerplate 39, trimmer-blade guard 40, guard-plate 41, binder-head seat 42, needle-hole 43, feed-slots 44 44, and holes 45 45, through which latter the throat-plate screws 46 46 pass to secure said plate to the plate 1 of the sewing-machine.

The ledger trimmer-plate 39 comprisesa hardened piece of steel set into the throatplate and against which the cutter-blade acts to sever the material, the guard 40, through the action of the springs 66, forcing the cutter-blade against the edge of the ledger-plate. As the construction and application of the ledger-plate and guard-plate illustrated in the several figures form no part of my invention, a further description of them is deemed unnecessary.

47 is a bracket provided with arms 48 48, which latter are bent around the outer edge of the cloth-plate 1, said bracket being secured to the cloth-plate 1 by a screw49.

50 is a slide-plate, upon which is mounted the binder-head 51, the scroll-guard 52, tension-pins 53, locking-lever 54, and lockinglever spring 61. The slide-plate 50 is provided with a narrow extended portion 55, provided with a slot 56, through which pass screws 57 57, which latter are threaded into the bracket 47. The screws57 57 are adjusted to guide, together with the undercut guideways 58 58, the slide-plate 50 in its movements in opposite directions. The lock-lever 54 is pivotally mounted by studscrew 59 to the upper side of the slide-plate and provided with a thumb end 60, which latter is acted upon by a spring 61, secured by screw 62 to an ear 63, which latter forms a part of the slide-plate 50. The lock-lever 54 is provided with a pin 64, which latter is adapted to enter a notch 65, formed in the bracket 47 for holding the slide-plate 50 and parts carried by it against accidental adjust ment when such parts occupy their operative positions. a

In the operation of my improved construc tion the binding is passed from the supply first between as many of the tension-pins as are necessary for the required tension, then through the binder-head, and under the cloth-presser. The machine being started, the material is fed under the cloth-presser to the action of the trimming-blade, then between the folds of the binding to the stitchforming mechanism. After the stitching has proceeded nearly to the finish of the seam, supposing the seam to be of the endless variety, as when putting in sleeves, the operator moves the lever 29 in the direction indicated by the arrow 30, withdrawing the pin 20 from the notch 21, thus disconnecting IIO and at the same l the convenient manipulation of the severed end of said binding to complete the stitching and binding operation, in combination with a seam-trimining mechanism provided with means for adjusting the trimmer-blade carrier into and out ol operative relationship with the actuating mechanism ol" the sewingmachine during the stitching operation.

3. In a sewing-machine 'lor seam-trin'nning and edge-binding, a throatplate, a binderhead, a locking-lever,

a slide-plate upon which said binder-head and locking-lever are the triinmer-blade-carrying bar 14 from its actuating mechanism, followed by pressing against the thumb end of the lever 54, thereby withdrawing the pin 64 from the notch 65 time moving the slide-plate 50 to the position shown in Fig. 4 with the binding extending l'rom the needle to the binder-head. The binding is then severed between the seam and the binder-head, the portion attached to the material being positioned to overlap the starting end and the seam continued to the end of the binding operation. The operation being completed, the succeeding operation is commenced by first movin the binder-head to its operative position, when the free end of the binding is positioned beneath the presser-loot, and the second operation continued in like manner as the first.

The scroll-guard 52, mounted on the slideplate 50, guides the trimmer -ol'l' portions to said lever locks said slide-pl ate when the latter is adjusted to its operative position relatively to the stitch-forming mechanism, said binder-head being capable of adjustment in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of the feed oi" the material to a posi tion for the convenient severing of the binding, and for the convenient manipulation of the right and away from the line of the needle the severed end of said binding to complete actuation, thus preventing the same irom the stitching and binding operation, incominterfering with the binding and stitching operations.

Vhile my invention is adapted more particularly for use in connection with machines provided with trimming mechanisms, it is to be understood that it is not limited in this respect, as it may be used in connection wit sewing-machines, the productions of which do not require the employment of a seam trimming mechanism.

What I claim is 1. In a sewing-machine for seam-trimming and edge-binding, a binder-head and a slideplate upon which said binder-head 1S mounted, said slide-plate and binder-head being capable of adjustment in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of the feed of the material to a position convenient for l the severing of the binding, and for the convenient manipulation of the severed ends of said binding to complete the stitching and binding operation, in combination with a seam-trimming mechanism provided with means -l'or adjusting the trimmer-blade carrier into and out of operative relationship with the actuating mechanism of the sewingmachine during the stitching operation.

2. In a sewing-machinefor seam-trimming and edgebinding, a binder-head, a throatplate provided with a seat for said binderhead, a locking-lever, a slide-plate upon which said binder-head and locking-lever are mounted, and a bracket provided with guides for guiding the movements of said slide-plate and with locking means coacting with said locking-lever to lock said slide-plate in operative relationship with the stitch-forming mechanism, said slide-plate and binder-head being capable of adjustment in a direction substantially transverse to the direction 0 the reed oi the material to a position convenient for the severing o the binding, and for bination with a seam-trimming mechanism provided with me ns for adjusting the trimmer-blade carrier into and out of operative relationship with the actuating mechanism or the sewing-machine during the stitching operation.

4. In a sewing-machine lor seam-trimming and edge-binding, a slide-plate, a binderhead, a scroll-guard and a locl inglever, said binder-head, scroll-guard and locl ing-lever mounted upon said slide-pl ate and cap able of ad ustment in a direction substantially transverse to the direction oi" he feed of the ma terial to aposition convenient 'for the severing oi the binding, and for the convenient manipulation of the severed end of said binding to complete the stitching and binding operation, in combination with a seam-trimming mechanism provided with means for adjusting the trimmer-blade carrier into and out oi operative relationship with the actuating mechanism 01' the sewing-machine during the stitching operation.

5. In a sewingmachine for se am-trimming and edge-binding, a binder-head, a lockinglever, a spring 'for actuating said lever, and a slide-plate, said binderhead, locking-lever and spring being mounted on said slide-plate and capable oi'adjustment in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of the feed of the material to a position convenient lor the severing oi the binding and for the corn venient manipulation of the severed end 01' said binding to complete the stitching. and binding operation, in combination with a seamtrimming mechanism provided with means for adjusting the trimmer-blade carrier into and out o'l' operative relationship with the actuating mechanism of the sewingmachine during the stitching operation.

6. In a sewing-machine 'lor scam-trimming and edge-binding, a throat-plate, a binder mounted, andia bracket or plate to which head a scrolluard a slidelate and a I b 7 bracket to which said slide-plate 1s slidably l secured, said binder-head and scroll-guard bein mounted u on said shdelate and ca 1 means for ad ustin the trnmner-blade earp P l c pable of ad ustment in a direction substan- I out of operative relatlonship tially transverse to the direction of the feed f with the actuating mechanism of the sewingof the material to a position convenient "for machine during the stltchlng' operation. I the severin of the bindnn and for the con- Sl 'DGd at IlLl G )ort 1n the count ofFair- :0 b7 p o a: 1

thumb end which coacts With said slide-plate to unlock said lever, 1n combination With a seam-twinning mechanism provided With venlent In nipulation of the severed end of held and State of Connecticut, this 30th day said binding to complete the stitching and a ol October, A. D. 1906. blniihngcperation, a looking-lever carriedbv VJHJ-JIAM R. ABERCROMBIE said slide-plate and coacting With said bracket to lock said slide-plate in operative relationship With the stitch-forming mechanism, said locking-lever being provided With a Vii tnesses:

E. L. ToLLEs, A. DONIHU. 

